


The Nights We Can't Let Go

by Wolfling21



Series: When Three Hearts Beat As One [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, Previous child abuse, stop breaking my heart, they're fucked up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 03:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9859631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfling21/pseuds/Wolfling21
Summary: Everyone has nightmares... Ozpin is no exception.  Thankfully he's got his two lovers there... one to bring him back and the other to make hot cocoa.Fic request by Shy Anon





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shy anon](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=shy+anon).



He remembers the feel of his head of being jerked back harshly and the smell of alcohol directly in his face.

He remembers all the too well the sound of his foster father's voice telling him to stop whining about the voice in his head.

It was the one that eventually encouraged him to leave the foster home and seek out safer company... promising that one day he would be able to protect others from similar abuse.

He remembers being dragged downstairs into the basement and locked in the tiny room for hours on end.... in pitch black darkness and only the small Grimm his foster father kept in cages for company.

It is that man's cruel laughter, the Grimm's screeches and his own sobs that make he jerk awake: shaking, whimpering and uncertain of his surroundings.

The bed is empty and he instinctively fears that his two lovers have abandoned him.

"Oz?" 

He knows that voice... the familiar rumble that promises undying loyalty, trust and faith.

It's ironic that one of the men he feared as a child and the man he loves as an adult are both alcoholics.

"Qrow?" He whispers, reaching out with his Aura for the other man.

Their Aura's mingle: familiar, intimate and safe.

"I'm right here." Qrow assures him but doesn't move.

Ozpin blinks, forcing his eyes to clear and see Qrow crouched two arm lengths away.

Two arm lengths: the agreed upon safe distance.

It guarantees that the two other members of their triad won't be hurt should one of them wake with nightmares.

Qrow's nightmares almost always cause him to react violently and Oz's tend to cause him to react unpredictably.

In the time it takes for either of them to get out of bed and clear that distance... they've calmed down enough to recognize their lovers.

"Glynda?" Oz asks softly.

"Making cocoa." Qrow tells him.

Oz nods and wraps a blanket around his shoulders. 

Qrow pushes himself up and in a heartbeat, is back at Oz's side.

He tucks himself into the blanket, pulling Oz against his chest as Glynda walks back in.

A tray with a kettle and three cups hovers as the foot of the bed, warm and smelling of chocolate.

Oz lets Glynda pull the blanket from around his other side so she can rejoin them.

The cocoa pours itself and Oz takes a sip after Qrow has added a little bit of whatever is in his flask.

The alcohol helps warm him and the chocolate calms him enough to notice the half moon shaped marks on Qrow's skin.

He strokes his fingers over them and finds that they are raised ever so slightly.

Qrow chuckles and after a few seconds the marks become more pronounced and darken.

"Feathers?" Oz whispers.

"Beginning of them. You gave me one hell of a start when you woke up... almost made me shift." Qrow tells him.

"How much control do you have over it?" Glynda asks.

"Some. I can grow talons and the start of feathers. Anything else... might as well shift." Qrow chuckles.

Oz smiles and takes another sip of his alcoholic hot cocoa as Qrow grabs a mug and adds a little hot cocoa to his alcohol.

"You have a drinking problem Qrow." Glynda mutters.

"Have you met me?" Qrow quips, winking at her.

"Stop." Oz whispers... and they both fall silent, sensing his fear.

Glynda gently runs a hand over his back, stroking over the countless scars that are just barely visible against his pale skin.

They all know those scars are not from Grimm... they're too uniform and too concentrated in one area.

Glynda looks at Qrow over Oz's head and raises an eyebrow.

She has always been too inclined to attempt to not cause Oz any more pain.

While Qrow doesn't like causing his loved ones pain... he hates the idea of glossing over things.

"Oz.... you know if you don't talk to us... we're not going to know what's bugging you." Qrow sighs.

Oz sets his mug back on the tray, which floats away to settle on top of the dresser & sits there shivering.

"Ozpin." Glynda whispers.

"I was orphaned when I was very young... I don't even remember my birth parents. I was always an odd child... too smart, too sharp, to quiet. It bothered a lot of people, foster parents and other children. Then when I was maybe thirteen... the voice started speaking to me in my head." Oz whispers.

"Your predecessor." Glynda says.

"Yes. I thought I was going crazy at first... of course he attempted to reassure that I was not. I complained to my foster father but he only yelled at me and claimed I was in fact crazy. He was an odd man... he kept small Grimm in cages in the basement and on his bad days... he would lock me in the basement with them. It was a very small room with no light." Ozpin admits, pulling the blankets back around his shoulders.

"When you say... his bad days..." Qrow whispers.

"There were days when he would drink considerably more than you ever have." Oz mumbles.

Qrow swallows thickly and lets Glynda take his mug from him to set aside. Suddenly the alcohol makes him feel worse instead of better.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Qrow whispers.

"You drink to help control your semblance. It's a necessary evil for you. I understand and accept that. He had no excuse for his heavy drinking. He was no Hunter... just a very bitter man." Oz reassures him.

Qrow shudders and in an instant, a small black bird is crouched amongst the blankets.

Glynda shakes her head but gently picks up the bird and strokes his feathers.

"You're both so horribly broken. Small wonder you fit together so well." She sighs.

Qrow chirps softly, pecking her fingertips gently in protest.

"He disagrees. He's not broken. Just strange." Oz chuckles, extracting a hand from the blanket to stroke Qrow's feathers.

He can feel tiny scars under the feathers... barely noticeable in comparison to how large some of those scars are when Qrow is human.

"The new semester starts in the morning. We should get some more sleep." Glynda yawns.

Qrow wiggles out of her hands and flutters up to the top of the headboard before tucking his head under his wing.

Ozpin smiles gently and lays back down, wrapping himself and Glynda in the blanket.

"Sleep. It won't do to have the children see you with bags under your eyes." Glynda whispers.

Qrow makes a soft sound like a squawk above them and Oz chuckles. 

"No... I suppose it won't." He agrees.


End file.
